Testing the quality of oils and fats

Lipids, also called fats, belong to the class of macronutrients (along with proteins and carbohydrates) and are fatty organic substances, insoluble in water, but soluble in most substances containing the hydrocarbon group, they play an important role in:

• the composition of living matter;
• have a high nutritional value (for 1g of lipids we have 9.3 kcal, twice as much energy as when burning proteins or carbohydrates);
• composition of cell membranes, nerve tissue, connective tissue, hormones, enzymes and antibodies;
• intake of mineral salts (Ca, Mg) and fat-soluble vitamins A, E, D, K.
• gives texture and pleasant taste to food, etc.

In nature there are both liquid fats (oils) and solid fats (butter, lard, tallow), they contain in their structure essential fatty acids that are absolutely necessary in the processes of cell multiplication, but which the body can not synthesize. Therefore, in fats can be found: saturated fatty acids (butyric acid, capronic, trans fatty acids, etc.), monounsaturated (oleic, linoleic acid) and polyunsaturated (omega-3, 6, 9, etc.), which may have 2, 3 or even 4 double bonds.

Depending on the content in polyunsaturated fatty acids, fats can be divided into:

1. Fats with high biological value: are fats that have in their composition between 50-80% polyunsaturated fatty acids (Ex: sunflower oil, corn oil, soybean, etc.).
2. Fats with average biological value: these are fats that contain between 15-22% polyunsaturated fatty acids (Ex: olive oil, lard, poultry, etc.).
3. Fats with low biological value: these are fats that contain between 1-9% polyunsaturated fatty acids (Ex: tallow, sheep or beef bone, butter, etc.).

Therefore, ICA R&D offers you through the laboratories of organoleptic analysis, physico-chemical analysis, microbiology and molecular biology an extensive set of analyzes performed with state-of-the-art equipment to guarantee the best accuracy and sensitivity of the results obtained and to ensures that your product meets and respects the norms and limits of quality and food safety imposed by the legislation in force.

• Nutritional information: fatty acids (monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated, trans, omega-3, 6 and 9), dietary fiber (insoluble and total), total carbohydrates / available carbohydrates, lipids, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, percentage (calories derived from lipids, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, sodium, energy value), total sugar, energy value, etc.
• Vitamins: vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, C, E, etc.
• Organoleptic analyzes: appearance (exterior and section), consistency, color, taste, smell, shape and dimensions, etc.
• General physico-chemical: fatty acids (C4-C24 fatty acid spectrum), acid (butyric, erucic, benzoic, citric, lactic, free L-glutamic, propionic, sorbic), acidity (free and total), water activity, alkalinity (soap), starch, water (percentage, added, relative to the mass), water and non-fat dry matter, water and volatile substances, aspartame, nitrogen (totally and easily hydrolyzable), ash, chlorides, collagen, iodine color, density, dimensions, fructose, glucose, milk fat, hydrogen sulphide, insoluble impurities, index (iodine, peroxide, refraction, saponification and acidity of fat), net mass, nitrites and nitrates, pH, polyphosphates, lactose, melting point, ratio (total water / protein, water / fat, Ca / P, collagen / protein, total fat / protein and maturation), reaction (pasteurization control, ammonia identification, Kreis), dry residue, dry matter, moisture, volume in packaging, saccharin, whey, etc.
• Metals and non-metals: aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, mercury, nickel, lead, selenium, tin, zinc, etc.
• Pesticides: pesticide package (224, 520 or 674), organochlorines: α-chlordane, α-HCH, aldrin, total DDT, decachlor-biphenyl, d-HCH, dieldrin, endosulfan, endrin, heptachlor, methoxychlor, tetrachloro-m-xylene , etc.
• Allergens: allergens from (hazelnuts, milk, mustard, egg, soy), gluten, lactose, gliadin, sesame DNA detection, etc.
• Mycotoxins: aflatoxin (B1, M1, total), deoxynivalenol, fumonisin, ochratoxin A, zearalenone, etc.
• Microbiological: bacillus cereus, bacteria (mesophilic aerobes, sulfite-reducing anaerobes, coliforms, mesophilic lactic acid), campylobacter spp., Determination of contamination microorganisms and the number of bifidobacteria, yeasts and molds, enterobacteriaceae, staphylococcal enterotoxins, D E, escherichia coli, lactobacillus, listeria monocytogenes, total number of germs, pseudomonas spp, salmonella, coagulase-positive staphylococcus, etc.
• Molecular biology: triple qualitative analysis of genetically modified organisms, species analysis: detection of the presence of traces of meat in plant products, quantitative determination of milk of a mammal species-first species, quantitative determination of milk of a mammal species-following species, determination of species falsification: identification of DNA specific to a type of dairy mammal – the first species, etc.
• Other analyzes: environmental analyzes (VOCs in crude oil), organic acids (formic, citric, tartaric, malic, succinic, lactic, acetic, propionic), acrylamide, thickeners based on polysaccharides, total amino acids, beta-lactams, cholesterol, synthetic dyes, Lovibond color, radiation detection, dioxins and durans, dioxins and PCBs, erythritol, gelatin, non-lactose fat, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, sweeteners: cyclamate, melamine, dioxin-like PCBs, polyols (mannitol, sorbitol , lactitol, maltitol, isomalt, xylitol), sugar profile: fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, lactose, radioactivity, the amount of vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3, tocopherol, trichotechnics, etc.

For more information, you can always contact an ICA R&D representative, to provide you with all the necessary information and guide you in choosing the set of analyzes you need so that we can then make you an offer of services appropriate to the situation and your product.